Pottermore-

[mary-j-59.livejournal.com]

Okay - I confess; I joined Pottermore, out of sheer curiosity. I want to know if, by any strange chance, I will sort to Slytherin, and also what sort of wand I get. Still, some things struck me at once (I've spent about 20 minutes exploring the first chapter):

When describing Number 4, Privet Drive, Rowling said that she chose the number four because she disliked that number, finding it hard and unforgiving. I believe those were the exact words! Do you suppose that feeling is limited to the number four, or might it extend to other numbers?

On a more serious note, she based the look and floorplan of the house on that of a house she lived in herself - and got wierded out because, without discussing it with her, the filmmakers got the floorplan exactly right.

And - this is fascinating! - she had to argue with the publishers, who wanted to convert all the British measurements into metric ones. She also said that Wizards can do complex calculations magically. Can they, really? Then why did we never see them doing this?

Oh, dear. Maths.

But I'm very glad that she talked the publishers into keeping the old fashioned measurements. Can you imagine a metric Wizarding World? I can't.

Comments

[mary-j-59.livejournal.com]

I would expect that all comments would await moderation - after all, the site is mostly for younger fans. And negative or sarcastic comments do get through, I believe. But it has actually been my experience that I've gotten two different messages, with my more questioning-type comments 'awaiting moderation', while the more positive ones 'will appear soon'. I would not have believed it had it not happened to me! How do they even know?!

And - well, the only person we know of in the Potterverse with an abnormally short wand is, I believe, Dolores Umbridge. She is morally weak, but not, as far as I can see, magically so. And her moral weaknesses are shared by at least a couple of the 'heroes', I believe.

But you're right - it is strange. Worse, in a way, than the sorting hat. 11-year-old Dolores gets her 7-inch wand, and everyone says (in theory) "Watch out for that one; she's no good." Has the wizarding world never heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy?

[lynn-waterfall.livejournal.com]

Peter Pettigrew's is also relatively short, based on the info at the Harry Potter Lexicon. 9 and a fraction inches.

[condwiramurs.livejournal.com]

Exactly. This business about character correlating to wand length just reiterates the worst aspects of the Sorting routine within the 'Slytherin = evil' framework: the idea that you can measure someone's moral character at the age of 11 and assign them some sort of simplistic life-long measurement that says everything you need to know about them! It's disgusting.

[oneandthetruth.livejournal.com]

Has the wizarding world never heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Are you kidding? They don't even believe in normal prophecies. ;-) And they've probably never even heard of the self-fulfilling kind.

[600ants.livejournal.com]

Actually, I was more worried about what it teaches to the "real life" kids, on a subconscious level. But you are absolutely right about this being yet another WW's way of corrupting children via prejudice and discrimination. And of course what conwiramurs said.